Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Municipality has stopped work on the Haramain Rail Project after an “error by the project’s consultant led residents to complain about inconvenience caused by road narrowing.

A main commercial road leading to several key neighbourhoods in Jeddah has been narrowed from 32 metres to 16 metres after the project contractor installed pillars in the middle of the road.

Residents claim they have official documents that ascertain the width of the road is originally 32 metres. Jeddah Municipality found the consultant deviated from the project’s plans while narrowing the road.

As per the website of Saudi Railways Organisation, the Scott Wilson Company is responsible for the management of the Haramain project, and a joint consortium of Foster + Partners and Buro Happold was awarded the contract for station design.

The construction supervision contract was awarded to a joint venture between Dar Al Handasa Consultants and Spanish firm Getinsa. Contractors involved in the construction of the passenger stations include consortiums led by firms like Saudi Binladin Group and Saudi Oger.

Hani Abu Ras, mayor of Jeddah ordered the general manager of the Haramain project to remove the pillars and stop work on the project. While Arab News has not revealed the name of the project consultant or contractor, a report by the publication says “the consultant is the same person who designed the Haramain project for the Transport Ministry.”